A dustpan is a device that is commonly used to manually clean household or commercial debris with a broom. It has an open edge for debris to be swept into a compartment that can hold the debris. One particular type of dustpan is upright type, usually with an elongated handle. It allows a user to reposition the dust pan while standing up without reaching for the floor. The compartment of such device can swing freely around a horizontal shaft member held by a vertical handle; the center of gravity of the compartment is designed to be lower than the horizontal shaft around which the dust compartment pivots, gravity returns the compartment to vertical position with the opening facing up. This function reduces the likelihood that dust gets out of receptacle as well as the footprint of such a device.
The advance in new design technologies has brought about a plethora of household waste storage designs that features compact foot print. Designs that can be tucked away in corners, between cabinetry walls, under kitchen sinks and etc. have become popular. When an upright type of dustpan is used in conjunction with many of the modern designs of waste receptacles, many of drawbacks are manifested when a person try to empty an upright dustpan into a waste receptacle.
One drawback of the upright type of dustpan is when a user empties it, the person would have to use both hands, one hand for holding the handle and the other hand for holding the dust compartment itself, to overcome the gravity pull of the dust compartment. Under commercial circumstances when a user tries to empty such a device into a large curb side waste bin with cover, the user has to remove the cover or reach deep into the waste bin to flip the dust compartment.
Another drawback shows itself when a person tries to empty the dustpan into a receptacle located in a small space, notable with many new designs of waste receptacles that are designed to fit into such small spaces. The handle of the waste bin can prevent dust bin compartment from turning past sufficient angle to allow the compartment to face downward. Under circumstances where space to maneuver the long handle is limited, the dust compartment could have difficulty to turn downward to be emptied.
Yet another drawback is when emptying fine dusts, current upright dustpans, especially those with elongated handles, cannot be lowered deep into the waste receptacle, thus make it easy for dust to be airborne.
The primary object of the present invention is to shorten the time and lessen the effort needed to empty an upright type dustpan and provide a clean and smooth way to do so. Prior art dustpans discussed below have shortcomings and do not address all of the concerns stated above.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,780 B1 to Raymond Mead discloses a rear-opening dustpan, which is not an upright type. The disclosed invention does not provide the convenience that an upright type dustpan gives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,611 A to Alpo L. Marttinen discloses a handled pan with dumping function. The disclosed design however does not prevent dust from spilling while a user carries and walk with it, neither does it make emptying into covered waste receptacles easier.
US 20030167588 A1 to Scott Juergens and Thomas Perelli discloses a long-handled cleaning dust pan with a ramp to facilitate pulling of waste into the compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,678 B2 to Robert J. Libman discloses a dust pan with both an elongate handle and a receptacle for a removable long handle.
None of the aforementioned inventions and arts in single or combination offers the solutions of the present invention.